Symptoms & diagnosis
Some women don’t have any obvious signs or symptoms of ectopic pregnancy. Others have symptoms that can easily be mistaken for something else, like a stomach upset, irritable bowel syndrome or even appendicitis.
But common symptoms are:
- vaginal bleeding that’s different from a normal period (sometimes more watery)
- pain low in the abdomen, perhaps just on one side
- pain in the tips of the shoulders
- diarrhoea and perhaps vomiting; or pain when opening your bowels or passing urine
- feeling dizzy or faint
I had a feeling something wasn’t quite right with this pregnancy and at 6½ weeks I doubled up in excruciating pain.
If you have symptoms of ectopic pregnancy, and especially if you have had one in the past, it is best to go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department or to contact your nearest Early Pregnancy Assessement Unit or Emergency Gynaecology Unit (see list here.)
How is ectopic pregnancy diagnosed?
It can be difficult to diagnose ectopic pregnancy. Unless you are extremely unwell, the first steps are usually:
- a medical history, where you’re asked about symptoms, other pregnancies etc.. During the coronavirus pandemic, this is most likely to be over the phone in the first instance, so you should contact:
- your nearest Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit or Emergency Gynaecology Unit (see list here) or
- the NHS 111 advice line
- your nearest Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit or Emergency Gynaecology Unit (see list here) or
- a pregnancy test (urine or blood)
- an ultrasound scan or scans
- blood tests, sometimes repeated over several days – and perhaps
- a laparoscopy
- a ‘keyhole’ examination done under a general anaesthetic
- if an ectopic pregnancy is seen, it is usually removed at the same time.
You can read about the treatment of ectopic pregnancy and more here.